China and Pakistan call for “immediate ceasefire” and peace talks

China and Pakistan today called for an “immediate ceasefire” and peace talks to resolve the war in Iran following high-level bilateral talks between the two countries in Beijing.

They urged all parties to arrange for the safe passage of commercial and civilian ships through the Strait of Hormuz and “to protect the safety of vessels and crew” trapped in the waterway, which is one of the global economy’s critical chokepoints.

“China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading,” both countries’ foreign ministries said, in a joint statement.

“Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded,” they added.

The statement came after a meeting between Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during which they discussed the conflict spiraling across the Middle East.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator, utilizing its cordial ties with both Iran and the US to pass Washington’s 15-point plan to Tehran before hosting a four-way meeting between itself, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey over the weekend to discuss the conflict.

In this latest diplomatic effort, Islamabad and Beijing called on all parties to immediately stop attacking civilians and “critical infrastructure such as energy, desalination, power facilities, and peaceful nuclear facilities.”

They also urged upholding the primacy of the United Nations and international law for a “lasting” peace.

Source: CNN

-- Agencies